Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the clarification in relation to Bangor Erris. However, the Minister of State's response is completely removed from the reality on the ground. He spoke of increased places on GP training schemes. For the first time anyone can remember, there are vacancies on training schemes because people do not want to be GPs. It is no longer a desired option for so many people and those who do, do not want to be a GP in Ireland. GP practices are no longer viable in many areas, which the Minister of State would have heard yesterday. I know that there are communication difficulties in the Department of Health but surely the Minister of State must have heard the complaints. We hear this from younger doctors but one of the most disheartening things yesterday was to hear older doctors who have put their life and soul into building up practices and communities, now more or less broken and not recommending that people follow their path.

When this contract was last advertised it was difficult to fill because of the lack of supports. The Minister of State referred to the rural practice allowance, but it is not enough. We must look at this differently. By the time a premises is kitted out and staffed, €20,000 does not go far on a list of 500 people.

This must be looked at differently. This will have to be used as a pilot to put the facilities and services for GPs in place and give them an investment. Then we will fill the vacancies. There are vacancies in rural areas that cannot be filled, yet the Minister of State spoke of the numbers of GPs on the register increasing. That is no good to someone who cannot access a doctor because there is no doctor in his or her community.

Once again, I ask that the Government put together a package, using Bangor Erris as a pilot, to put the facilities in place and work with the existing GP. It might find that he is more than happy to stay there. I can assure the Minister of State that the community has enormous trust in both him and his staff and they want to keep him there.

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